Collin Attempts to Explain Arcology

As I read through Paolo Bacigalupi’s book, The Water Knife, I kept seeing a term that was unfamiliar to me. “Arcology.” Out of curiosity, I booted up the ‘ole Google machine and looked that term up. Turns out it is a topic that is very interesting and could potentially save humanity if we don’t stop our use of fossil fuels in time. The term “arcology” itself is a fusion of the words “architecture” and “ecology.” The concept and term were created by an Italian architect named Paolo Soleri.

Essentially “arcology” is the concept of a building in which every need of humanity is contained and self-sustained. An arcology building is also meant to be densely populated and have little-to-no impact on the environment and ecosystem.

Climate control, air conservation, water conversation, power, food production, living spaces. All these components are inside one, large structure. Solar and wind power are an essential aspect of arcology because all energy sources must be renewable. As seen in The Water Knife, citizens who live in an arcology would be able to leave it if need be, but an effective arcology must be designed so that inhabitants never have to leave it. If you were to tour an arcology, you might go in an elevator. As you traveled up an elevator, you would see it structured like this: one floor would support the next five or so floors above it. The supporting floor is referred to as a “deck.” Simple biological functions can be used to benefit each other. For example, fish could be grown in a large tank with plants resting on top. These plants could be plants used for food, plants used for oxygen purification, or perhaps plants used to filter the water itself. As the fish eat and poop, the poop would fertilize the plants, helping them grow. A building could be lined entirely with solar panels and designed with a curve so that it is resistant to the wind. Alternatively, a structure could be covered with wind turbines that catch the wind and create power. There are many, many concepts, but they key here is self-sustainability, low-impact, and aesthetically pleasing.

There aren’t really any functioning arcologies today. Paolo Soleri designed a city called Acrosanti, which isn’t an arcology, but more of a city that encompasses certain aspects of arcology. The buildings are built from the dirt that lays beneath them, and every building is physically connected to one another. Solar panels absorb sunlight and are built at angles that make them super-efficient at gathering sunlight, and large domes are built to help keep residents cool in the summer.

Another example of something similar to an arcology is the Shanghai Tower. It is built with a type of insulating skin to help it retain heat. The top of the building is covered with wind panels, and it generates 350,000 Kilo Watt hours a year. Architecturally, the building has a twist to it, which prevents it from swaying in the wind without the use of extra building materials.

Crystal Island

Russia has had blueprints for a structure that they call “Crystal Island,” but due to lack of funding, it has not even begun being built yet.

As of right now, humanity is pretty far from a 100% functioning arcology. This is disheartening, especially when you consider the fact that we are not nearly doing enough to combat climate change. However, I like to think about the past. At one point in time, humans gazed up at the moon and wondered. “Will we ever walk on this brilliant, white sphere in the sky?” Through hard work, determination, and an agreement of sorts, we put man on the moon, and that was forty-nine whole years ago. We might seem divided as ever right now, but if we could achieve walking on the moon, we can achieve a self-sustainable society.